1.1 The Policies, Sites and Places Plan (PSP Plan) is the final document in completing the South Gloucestershire Local Plan. The Local Plan currently comprises the Joint Waste Core Strategy (adopted 2011) and the Core Strategy (adopted 2013). The PSP plan will update and replace the previous South Gloucestershire Local Plan (adopted 2006) and Minerals & Waste Local Plan (adopted 2002) and will guide future planning decisions in the district.

1.2 The council published a proposed submission version of the PSP Plan (dated March 2015) for formal consultation between 22 May and 3 July 2015 in accordance with Regulations 19, 20 and 35 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

1.3 The March 2015 version of the PSP plan set out the results of the Rural Housing Review, a process where communities could support the level of growth they considered appropriate for their area. This was consistent with policies CS5 and CS34 of the Core Strategy and was conducted on the basis of the council being able at that point in time to demonstrate sufficient overall supply of housing to meet the need identified in the Core Strategy and the immediate 5 year housing land supply. The plan concluded that only one village considered additional growth was required, and therefore supported growth for an additional 20 houses.

1.4 The main issue raised as a result of the summer 2015 consultation related to the shortfall in housing numbers and absence of a five year supply. This is explained below.